Sunday 1 June 2014
We are tested
Year A - Easter 7 - 38A
The Mission of
the Methodist
Church of New
Zealand
Our Church’s mission in Aotearoa / New Zealand is to reflect and proclaim the
transforming love of God as revealed in Jesus Christ and declared in the
Scriptures. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to serve God in the world. The
Treaty of Waitangi is the covenant establishing our nation on the basis of a powersharing partnership and will guide how we undertake mission.
Links
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Readings
Introduction
Preaching thoughts
Illustrations
Broader preparation
Creativity
Music
Prayers
Communal sharing
Children
PowerPoint
Readings
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Acts 1.6-14 When the disciples question Jesus about the restoration of Israel he
promises to send them the Holy Spirit and tells them to be his witnesses. He is
then taken up to heaven.
Psalm 68.1-10, 32-35 David celebrates the victorious march of Israel from Egypt
and then encourages everyone to sing praises to the Lord for his majesty.
1 Peter 4.12-14; 5.6-11 Just because we suffer that doesn’t mean that God is not
in control. Remember that Christ also suffered.
John 17.1-11 Just before his betrayal, Jesus prayed for the safety and unity of his
followers.
Asia Sunday - 1 June
Every year since 1974 Asia Sunday has been celebrated in Asia and among
ecumenical organisations around the world on the Sunday before Pentecost. The
observance is to commemorate the founding of the East Asia Christian
Conference, renamed in 1973 as the Christian Conference of Asia. Some of the
liturgical material for Asia Sunday has been reproduced in this “10 Minutes”. A
complete order of service is available from the Christian Conference of Asia
website.
Theme: Longing in hope for the freedom of creation
Week of prayer for Christian unity 1-8 June
The week of prayer for Christian unity is celebrated In the Southern Hemisphere
between Ascension and Pentecost which is a symbolic date for unity. Because
January is a vacation time for us, this differs from the practice in the Northern
Hemisphere where it is celebrated between the feasts of St Peter and St Paul (1825 January). The World Council of Churches website has a full, downloadable
order of service for 2014. A blessing from that material is included in the prayers
section below. The theme for this year is “Has Christ been divided?”
Ascension Day
As Thursday 29 May was the celebration of the ascension of Jesus, Ascension
may be celebrated today.
Alternative readings for Ascension:
Acts 1.1-11
Psalm 47 or 93
Ephesians 1.15-23
Luke 24.44-53
Pentecost
Next Sunday 8 June is Pentecost. It is the day when we celebrate the Holy Spirit
coming on the church. It is often called Whitsunday, from the English “White
Sunday” which arose from the practice of people dressing in white to be baptised
on this day.
Introduction /
Background
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CEV = Contemporary
English Version of the
Bible
Being God’s people
Today’s readings from chapters four and five of the first letter written by the
apostle Peter bring us to the end of this present series. Unfortunately, we finish
the letter with two giant strides that miss much advice so relevant to twenty-first
century life. For instance, you may want to consider spending another week or
two exploring the ways we can apply the following verses to our church life:
…be serious and be sensible enough to pray. Most important of all, you must
sincerely love each other, because love wipes away many sins. Welcome
people into your home and don’t grumble about it. Each of you has been
blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of
others. So use your gift well. 1 Peter 4.7b-10 CEV
The whole of our series is outlined below:
Being God’s people
27 April
We have hope
1 Peter 1.3-9
4 May
We have been rescued
1 Peter 1.17-23
11 May
We suffer
1 Peter 2.19-25
18 May
We are chosen
1 Peter 2.2-10
25 May
We have a ready answer
1 Peter 3.13-22
1 June
We are tested
1 Peter 4.12-14; 5.6-11
In the archived Refresh section of the New Zealand Methodist website you will
find a previous “10 Minutes on a Tuesday” resource for today’s passages, Year A
– Easter 7 – 38A (5 June 2011.) This includes preaching thoughts and questions
suitable for Ascension. Further lectionary based resources can be found on Bill
Peddie’s blogsite.
Preaching
thoughts and
Questions
* 1 Peter 4.14 alludes
to Matthew 5.11-12.
We come today to the last part of this letter written by Peter the fisherman, who
found himself at the forefront of the early church. Those who, like himself, were
trying their best to follow in the footsteps of Christ were not finding it easy. It was a
testing time. The small, new Christian band was doing it tough. They were hurting
and many were feeling overwhelmed.
What could he say to encourage them?
He finished up his letter by recalling the words of Jesus and by giving them some
clear instructions for Christian living.
In his mind was that occasion, years previously, when Jesus was on the side of a
mountain with crowds of followers pressing upon him eager to hear his every
word. Raising his voice to the crowd Jesus declared, “God will bless you when
people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of
me. Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven.”* Peter knew
that these words would help the persecuted Christians in his church.
It is different for us. It is hard to imagine standing in the shoes of those early
believers, many of whom lost their lives because of their faith in Christ. Mostly
today people don’t care what we believe. Nevertheless, twenty-first century living
has its own unique pressures. Trying to live by Christian values at times makes us
like aliens in a strange land. The potential sources of conflict are many. Simple
decisions can leave us feeling overwhelmed:
 Is that movie an appropriate one to watch?
 Should we let our teenage kids go to their friend’s party,
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
CEV = Contemporary
English Version of the
Bible
Can I justify buying new carpet in the light of the desperate poverty of the
developing world?
How can we cope in a time of testing?
Peter writes down for us some practical things we can do.
Put on the apron of humility
Humble yourself. Peter’s instruction (1 Peter 5.5 CEV) that “everyone should be
humble toward everyone else” translates just two Greek words. Other translations
tell us to “put on humility” or to “clothe yourselves with humility”. What they are
trying to covey is an idea that is suggested by Peter’s rather lovely word picture.
His turn of phrase describes a garment that is put on and secured by the tying of a
knot. So it is that we are told to put on the apron of humility. This instruction brings
to mind the occasion when our Lord took a towel and wrapped it around him like a
servant and washed the feet of the disciples. On that occasion Peter had
protested, “You’re not going to wash my feet, Lord.” Now that he has had time to
reflect on his Lord’s lesson, Peter wants to teach it to others.
Humble yourself. It is something we need to do for ourselves. There are always
other people willing to humble us – but that can be very painful. And we really do
not want God to humble us. So humble yourself - don’t be frightened to put on the
apron of lowly acts of service. This is what Christ did, and what he also requires of
his followers.
None of us would want to have God as our opposition. "God opposes proud
people but he helps everyone who is humble." (1 Peter 5.5b - Peter is quoting
from Psalm 138.6 and the same quote is also used by James in his letter - James
4.6). When we are tested, when others oppose us, it seems natural to react with
pride. We say:
“You are not going to treat me like that!”
“I know my rights.”
But our pride can result in God opposing us. It can result in us feeling like we are
getting no-where, just banging our heads against a brick wall. God opposes the
proud.
In contrast to the Lord’s opposition to proud people, Peter declares that God’s
“mighty power” (literally “mighty hand”) is with those who are humble. When we
are in a time of testing we need to know that we are under the mighty, guiding
hand of God. This is the hand that has brought deliverance to his people in the
past.
So, when we are tested, we are to put on the apron of humility and…
Trust God
Peter tells us, “God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.” God cares
for us. This is a key truth of the gospel. The life and death of Christ convey to us
this message. God cares for us. It is the knowledge that God cares for us that
makes a difference. If we know that God cares for us, we also know that he will
provide strength for every trial. We will seek to submit to his will and co-operate
with him.
So turn all your worries over to him. Trust him. The cross tells us that God is the
great burden-bearer. We were never made to be self-sufficient. We need other
people and we need God. Trust God with all your cares:
 Those anxieties that are big and open and everyone knows about – give
them to him.
 Those worries that are small and private, that we hold so close and dare
not speak about – give them over to him.
Worries that are not shared fester. Talk to God about them. He cares for you.
And we must be on guard lest evil overcome us. Peter was aware of how he fell
under the spell of his own pride when he declared to the Lord that, while others
may deny him, he would always remain true. And then how quickly, and
repeatedly, he denied Christ when the testing time came. So Peter warns us that
the devil can masquerade as a roaring lion. Peter is older now, and he has
learned that the roaring is all bluff. When we resist him, he retreats and God
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makes us “complete, steady, strong, and firm.” (1 Peter 5.10)
So, when the going gets tough and testing times come, turn your minds to those
Christians through the centuries who have walked the path of faith before you.
Bring to mind the advice of Peter the fisherman:
Put on the apron of humility
and trust God, for he cares for you. Amen.
Illustrations /
Stories
Stuck in an elevator
I do recall being in an elevator when it made an unscheduled stop between floors.
It only takes a few seconds for anxiety to set in when you are trapped in a broken
elevator. Fortunately for me the hold-up was very temporary.
We’ve all read those stories of people being in an elevator, stuck for hours halfway up (or down) a high-rise building. I can only imagine the panic people feel
among a group of strangers, in an enclosed space, and often in the dark because
the power has failed.
It is in recognition of the possibility of such a scenario that elevators are equipped
with a little cupboard door in which there is a help phone. There is the ability to
reach someone outside who can summon help and speak words of re-assurance
until those who are trapped are delivered from their unpleasant plight.
Peter tells us, “God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him.” Prayer is
the help phone. If we would use a help phone when we are stuck in an elevator,
why wouldn’t we use prayer to turn our worries over to God?
Humble yourself… because you don’t want someone else to do it for you!
The lion was very proud of the fact that he was king of all beasts. He wanted
everyone to know.
He went up to the zebra and he asked, “Who is king of all beasts?”
“Why, you are lion,” replied the trembling zebra.
The lion roared his delight.
Next he went up to a hyena. “Who is king of all beasts?” he demanded.
“You are, Mister Lion,” said the frightened hyena.
Once again the lion roared in pride.
Looking up to a great giraffe he said, “Who is king of all beasts?”
A rather nervous giraffe replied, “Why, you are!”
The lion puffed out his chest and roared again.
Next he came upon an elephant. “Who is king of all beasts?” he asked.
The elephant charged at the lion, picked him up with his trunk in a single sweep,
whirled him in the air and tossed him against a tree.
Battered and dazed the lion said, “No need to get so grumpy just because you
don’t know the answer.”
Quotes
“There is something doubly precious about a faith which has come through pain
and sorrow and disappointment and loss, and which has emerged burning more
brightly than it ever did.” William Barclay
“God actually rises up storms of conflict in relationships at times in order to
accomplish that deeper work in our character. We cannot love our enemies in our
own strength. This is graduate-level grace. Are you willing to enter this school?
Are you willing to take the test? If you pass, you can expect to be elevated to a
new level in the Kingdom. For He brings us through these tests as preparation for
greater use in the Kingdom. You must pass the test first.” A.W. Tozer
Broader /
Personal
Preparation
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Wondering where the lions are
I’m not sure if I am correct, but I have always thought that the song Wondering
where the lions are by Bruce Cockburn referred to our passage today from 1
Peter 5.8. Cockburn is a Canadian singer/songwriter and global troubadour. The
song is off his 1979 album Dancing in the dragon’s jaw. It was his all-time biggest
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hit in the US. The way I hear it the song describes Cockburn sitting by the lake,
the sun is up, the world is good “and I'm thinking about eternity. Some kind of
ecstasy got a hold on me.” When you’re in a mood like that, it’s pretty hard to
imagine the enemy sneaking around like a roaring lion. It’s one of the few
contemporary songs that makes heaven sound like a place you’d want to go.
Read the lyrics Listen to this recent live performance on YouTube. The song has
been covered by several other musicians including Donavon Frankenreiter in
2007 on his album Recycled Recipes.
Creativity /
Visual Aids
Set up a station (or several if you have a large group) with some note paper,
pencils
a couple of aprons (perhaps a bloke’s BBQ one and a
women’s cooking one)
and the following instructions printed out in large type:
Put on the apron of humility
Read from the Bible
“Be humble in the presence of God’s mighty power, and he
will honour you when the time comes.” I Peter 5.6 CEV
Trying to get a better sense of the meaning of the original
language the Amplified Bible reads:
“Clothe (apron) yourselves, all of you, with humility [as the
garb of a servant]”
and J.B. Phillips’ New Testament has it as:
“Indeed all of you should defer to one another and wear the ‘overall’ of humility in
serving each other.”
Think
When was the last time you wore and apron?
Why did you wear it?
We usually wear an apron to protect our regular clothes from getting dirty when
we are doing some menial task of service – maybe cleaning or barbecuing.
Think of an act of service that you can do to help someone else. It may be baking
a cake for someone who would appreciate it, babysitting, or offering to help an
elderly member of the congregation with some gardening…
Write
Write your idea for helping someone on piece of note paper and take it with you
as a reminder to act on it this week.
Pray
Lord, thank you for your kindness shown toward me
Help me to show that kindness toward others,
serving them
without seeking recognition, praise or reward.
Amen
Music
AA: Alleluia
Aotearoa
CMP: Complete
Mission Praise
HIOS: Hope is our
Song
FFS: Faith Forever
Singing
MHB: Methodist
Hymn Book
H&P: Hymns and
Psalms
S1: The Source
Hymns & Songs
All hail the power MHB 91; WOV 159; H&P 252; CMP 13; S1 7
Brother sister let me serve you SIS 256; AA 8
Christ ascends to God HIOS 14
God of the galaxies AA 54
Hail thou once despised Jesus MHB 228; WOV 295; H&P 222; CMP 203
Healing river (words and music from Asia Sunday liturgy 2014)
Higher, higher, higher S1 170
How is Jesus present? AA 64
Humble yourself therefore SIS 116
Humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand S2 752
I cannot tell MHB 809; H&P 238; CMP 266; S1 199
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S2: The Source 2
S3: The Source 3
S4: The Source 4
SIS: Scripture in
Song
WHV: With heart
and Voice
WOV: With One
Voice
WOV = AHB
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Prayers
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If you want to be great SIS 440
I need you every hour MHB 475; H&P 524; CMP 288
Jesus at your name CMP 355; S1 273
Jesus is King and I will extol CMP 366
Jumping Jesus HIOS 81
Kneels at the feet of his friends WOV 561
Lord make me like you SIS 281
May the mind of Christ my Saviour WOV 537; H&P 739; CMP 463; S2 887
Our God is an awesome God CMP 1005; S1 418
Put on the garment of praise SIS 300
Sing the Lord a new song (words and music from Asia Sunday liturgy 2014)
The head that once was crowned with thorns MHB 244; WOV 301; H&P 209;
CMP 647
Trust in the Lord SIS 117
Your hand, O God, has guided WOV 389; H&P 784; CMP 705
What a friend we have in Jesus MHB 538; WOV 165; H&P 559; CMP 746; S1 566
Call to worship
Sing praises to God!
Every kingdom on earth, sing to the Lord!
Praise the one who rides across the ancient skies;
listen as he speaks with a mighty voice.
Tell about God's power!
He is honoured in Israel, and he rules the skies.
The God of Israel is fearsome in his temple,
and he makes us strong.
Let's praise our God!
Psalm 68.32-35 Contemporary English Version (CEV) Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society
Collects
Do you want to be top dog in the ring?
Then be a pooper scooper.
Do you want to be captain of the team?
Then be the cleaner.
Do you want to be CEO of the tribe?
Then be the caretaker.
Jesus said that to be the greatest,
be the servant of all.
Together:
God our king,
known in Christ our suffering servant,
build my self-esteem,
so I can avoid preening as a peacock.
Build my self-confidence,
so I am content with humble pie.
Build my generous love,
so I can support the stage without being on it.
Teach me to be a servant,
and accept all as I welcome a little child,
Amen.
© John Howell (used with permission)
Eternal God,
you have given all authority in heaven and on earth
to your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Grant that we may never lose
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the vision of your kingdom
but serve you with hope and joy;
through him who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
© The Methodist Worship Book (Peterborough, England: Methodist Publishing House, 1999)
A Prayer for humility
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you
look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2.3-4)
Creator of the foundations of the earth,
May I wear the jersey of humility
with a self-knowledge found in the simple life style.
Let those who quest for power and privilege
realise their deepest desires
are met, not in worshipping their own ego,
or putting others down,
instead in the contemplation
of parenting a maturity in others,
to let the meek inherit the earth,
through our courage to scrum together, Amen.
© John Howell from Longings for the Eternal (Taupo: St Pauls Union Church, 2009) - Used with permission
Commitment of faith: Recommitment of stewardship
L:
Almighty God,
We believe in your wisdom,
You are creator and provider,
You made the earth,
Seas and rivers, land and water.
All:
Creator God, we commit ourselves to cherish your creation!
L:
From your dwelling place,
You care for everything, great and small,
You bring forth rain,
Grass for cattle, and food for all –
You made mountains and valleys, forests and trees,
Flowers and fruits, butterflies and bees –
All:
Sustaining God, we promise to live and care just as you do!
L:
Sun and moon, planets and stars,
The light at dawn, darkness at night,
Summer and winter, rain and thunder,
Lightning and the rainbow bright
The rise and ebb of tides every day,
Sunrise and sunset, the cycle of time,
Oikoumene and the Web of Life –
You saw it was good, beautiful and sublime.
All:
God of wisdom, teach us to preserve the earth as a sanctuary of life.
From Asia Sunday Liturgy 2014 (Adapted from Psalm 104)
Blessing and sending forth
L: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
L: May the love of the Lord Jesus draw you to himself,
may the power of the Lord Jesus strengthen you in his service,
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C:
L:
C:
may the joy of the Lord Jesus fill your spirit,
and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you and remain with you forever.
Amen
Go in peace,
to love and to be loved,
to welcome and to belong
to serve and to be nourished.
Thanks be to God!
From Resources for THE WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY www.oikoumene.org
With this promise of God, let us go to the world
To be God’s co-workers to heal creation and bring life to all
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.”
(Numbers 6.24-26)
From Asia Sunday Liturgy 2014
Communal
Sharing
Week of prayer for Christian unity 1-8 June
As an act of Christian unity see if you can arrange a combined social gathering
with a neighbouring church of a different denomination.
You could just get together your leadership teams for a tea. Get people to discuss
what they think are currently the key issues for your church and community.
Or you could have a family event for both congregations – perhaps a movie night
screening The Chronicles of Narnia, Shrek or similar, then close with a short
devotional thought.
Children
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Churches, churches everywhere
See how many different churches the children can name in your town or suburb.
Do a little preparation so that you can explain the distinctives of each.
Read from the Bible - “The body of Christ has many different parts, just as any
other body does.” 1 Corinthians 12.12
Explain that John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, talked about
having a “catholic spirit”. He wasn’t talking about the Roman Catholic Church. The
word “catholic” means to include a wide variety. He was keen for Christians to
have an inclusive attitude. He said that even though different Christian groups
might worship in different ways, and have different opinions, it is important for us
to accept all those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and to love them as
friends, brothers and sisters and members of Christ’s church.
Wrap up with a prayer, asking for God’s blessing on the other churches in your
neighbourhood.
More resources for children from sermons4kids.com
PowerPoint
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Cartoon from Reverendfun
 Humble pastor
The Ascension of Christ in Christian art:
 Rembrandt 1636
 Dali 1958
 El Greco 1626
 Giotto 1300
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© 10 minutes on a Tuesday is a Refresh Resource. Unless otherwise acknowledged
all material is prepared by Andrew Gamman. While every effort has been made
to acknowledge source material, if you believe unacknowledged work has been
quoted, contact the email address below to request that it be acknowledged or
removed. Material included here may be freely used and reproduced for the
immediate purpose of worship. Permission must be sought to republish in any
form, or to reproduce for commercial gain. If you wish to share the content with
others you may do so by linking through the NZ Methodist website. For more information on this and
other resources, contact andrew@missionresourcing.org.nz or 09 525 4179 (w)
Mission Resourcing: Inspiring and resourcing our communities for a journey
with Christ that enriches lives and relationships
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